Silver Minings: Where does AFC West fit in NFL division power rankings?

Having the defending Super Bowl champions in the division carries a lot of weight for the AFC West heading into the 2020 NFL season, especially considering quarterback Patrick Mahomes is the best player in the league and most of the starters on both sides of the ball are back.

With the Chiefs alone, the AFC West should be considered a strong division. Still, in a ranking of all eight NFL divisions, by CBS Sports, it appears not much else is expected from the rest of the division, which, of course, includes the Raiders, Broncos and Chargers.

CBS Sports ranked the AFC West as the No. 4 best division in the NFL, behind the NFC West (No. 1), the NFC South (No. 2) and the AFC North (No. 3).

All in all, being in the top half of both the NFL and the AFC is a strong showing for the AFC West. Still, the writer made it clear the Chiefs are the big reason for the No. 4 ranking and that the Chargers have a playoff-like roster. The writer, though, is less high on the Raiders and the Broncos this season.

I believe the division could be quite strong and I believe every time AFC West opponents will play, there will be competitive games. With seven teams going to the playoffs in each conference starting this season, I can see all four AFC West teams making a push. What are your thoughts on the AFC West as a whole?

In other Raiders’ links:

• Abram’s inspiration: The Players’ Tribune has a great look at how safety Johnathan Abram relies on his mother’s strength.
• What makes Ruggs tick? The Athletic has a long look at top pick, Henry Ruggs III.
• The game plan for Ruggs: Evan Silva breaks down the X’s and O’s of the rookie receiver.
• Raiders believe in Ruggs’ speed: The Raiders think they know who’s the fastest player in the league.
• Ugly stats: The AP presents some tough recent Raiders’ defensive stats.